UNEMPLOYED ON LAND

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVI, Issue 3442, 12 March 1932, Page 5

UNEMPLOYED ON LAND

POSITION NOT TOO CLEAR.

DISCUSSION BY COUNTY COUNCIL.

Arising out of a circular from the Unemployment Board stating that the Board had a stock of surplus young trees on hand if the Council wished to take up tree planting under the Board’s scheme, and a request from two settlers asking for assistance in drainage works through No. 5 scheme, a lengthy discussion took place at the County Council meeting yesterday regarding the position of the farmer in relation to subsidised labour on farms. Cr. Lee said that there was more important work in this district than tree-planting In any case ' the County Council had no money to spend on this class of work, for the trees would have to be looked after for many years and the Council could not shoulder this responsibility. Cr. Jensen said that there were very few suitable areas for treeplanting in this district. The chairman stated that he had carried out a lot of tree-planting in his time, but this had not proved a success- financially. In addition, there was always the risk of fire. It was decided to take no action in this matter.

Dealing with the requests for assistance on farms through the unemployed, the clerk, in answer to a question by Cr. Wilson, said that the Unemployment Board paid for three days for married men and the settlers had to provide a further 15s. for the balance of the week and provide transport. Cr. Jones said that this subsidised farm labour had to be done through the Council, and it would be well to define a policy on the matter. The County Clerk stated that single men were paid 18s. a week for two days’ work, and 375. 6d. for married men for three days’ work under No. 5 scheme.

Cx*. Lee said that No. 4B scheme should be handed over to the County, as this was much more suitable for the district.

Cr. Wilson said it was impossible to send married men into the back country. The County Clerk said the whole question of unemployment was now under review, but it was impossible for the Council to take over the responsibility of setting up camps in the County. The Council could do better work through 4B scheme. Referring to the application of one of the settlers for labour to carry out drainage work, Cr. Neal suggested that the settler concerned might set up a. camp and take on three or four men for the work.. The chairman expressed the opinion that any drainage work required some expert knowledge, and they should have more information o!n the matter. He was against the' County incurring any responsibility in the matter. Cr Lee said if the Unemployment Board were anxious to find work for the men, it might consider the question of rotating camps which could be shifted from one district to another. It was no use saying the Council had no responsibility, and it should do everything possible to place men. He was sure they could get good men. Those on the CavesLemon Point Road were good workers and under normal conditions would command the. standard wage. If it were possible to get gangs of suitable men with moveable camps to shift from one point to another, good work could be done on farms by the unemployed. On the motion of Cr. Wilson it was decided that the riding member and the engineer inspect the drainage work proposed with power to act, and that the same principle should apply to all further applications for subsidised labour. It was further resolved that the Council take no financial responsibility regarding the allocation of labour of this kind. “Putting Men Over Fence.” Cr Neal said that six months ago the Unemployment Board had stated that a scheme had been drawn up to “put the men over -the fence,” in other words to have them employed on productive work, but nothing had so far been done. Cr. Lee said that a new scheme had been formulated whereby men with three children would be paid £1 17s. 6d a week and those with four children £2 10s. a week, one man in each camp to act as cook. This pay would be for 40 hours work, and employers to provide supervision and transport and arrange insurance. It might be possible to form two gangs of ten men under this scheme under the control of the engineer. This scheme was only applicable to local bodies. ~ The County Clerk stated that this would be a most suitable scheme for the County, but so far he had had no information on the matter. Cr. Lee suggested the County Clerk should wait on the Auckland Commissioner for Unemployment and gain further information in regard to this and other plans for dealing with the unemployed. A resolution to this effect was carried.